


Revenge; of Sorts

by EvanWritesWell



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Hostage Situations, Kidnapping, M/M, Rape/Non-con Elements, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2020-07-31 18:47:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20119918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvanWritesWell/pseuds/EvanWritesWell
Summary: After Takumi embarks on a journey to the Nohrian city of Cheve-one he's warned by his little sister not to take-he's captured upon crossing the border by Prince Leo and his troops. Now under the command of the Nohrian royal, Takumi will be forced to act upon the Nohrian royals wishes, and Prince Leo seems to have a few plans for him...





	1. Cheve

"Takumi, a-are you sure you want to go alone?" Sakura speaks up softly, fiddling with the hem of her sleeve. She gazes up to her older brother, a look of uncertainty in her eyes. "Sakura, I'll be fine. I'm just going to Cheve, then coming straight back." He assures her, slinging his quiver onto his back. "I know the way, alright?" He sits down on the edge of a sturdy wooden table, reaching to tighten his hair-tie. "B-But, Cheve is right next to Nohr, big brother..." The worried girl looks to the floor. She didn't want him to go, at least not alone, Takumi had found himself captured by Nohr a few times before, and Sakura was not counting on another safe return. Takumi gives a soft sigh, meeting eyes with his anxious sibling. "No one need to know about this, alright? If they find out, Ryoma's birthday present will be ruined." He pauses, taking in Sakura's moping look. "You don't want that, do you?"

Sakura shakes her head, still very unsure of his plan. Or, lack there of. "Hey, I'll make you a deal." Takumi sighs, crossing his arms. Sakura looks to him softly, urging him forward. "Give me four days. Two to get there, two to get back." He bargains, breaking their gaze to search for his boots. "If I'm not back by the fourth night, tell Ryoma where I went, then he'll come find me." He moves to pass his sister when noticing the sparkle of tears in her eyes. He steps back, his expression softening, and takes her chin in his hand.

"Hey, I'll be okay. It'll all be okay." He gives her a smile, and she nods, wiping her eyes.

Takumi rushes out before Sakura had the chance to come up with a viable argument, leaving her with a swift hug. He pulls his quiver onto his back and takes his leave.

He is confident in his skill, to say the least. He's an expert marksman, and has gotten through much worse trips. There is simply no doubt in his mind that he'd come back when he planned too, Hell, probably sooner.

A day had passed, and things were going smoothly for the archer. He was very much ahead of schedule, and his rations seemed to be surplus in amount. Along the way, he came across a friendly family, living in a farm outcasted to the edge of the border. With their hospitality, they gave Takumi a place to rest, and a meal.

He left quite a bit of gold for the kind villagers.

As he nears the border, he gazes to the sun, assessing it's a little past noon, and he had promised himself earlier that he'd take a break once he crossed.

As the clouds set in, and the rain begins to fall around the archer, he knows he reached his mark. Taking a deep breath, he walks across the bridge, a steady eye looking around. As he steadies himself into the new tundra, rest is the only thing on Takumi's mind, a safe place, that is preferably beyond the rain.

After trudging through a few more miles, the rain begins to dissipate, and the archer finds himself in thick forest. He plops his travel bag to the side of a trunk, crouching down to rummage through it. He pulls out a canteen of water, instantly setting it back down at the brisk sound of leaves crunching. He springs up, his bow willing itself into his hands, and aims it towards the noise.

Nohrian soldiers seemed to simply appear, quickly surrounding Takumi.

Takumi bites his lip, keeping his stance wide. He eyes around the Nohrian soldiers, his grip tightens on his bow. "Why have we stopped?" A voice calls out from behind the boy. Takumi's eyes widen at the familiarity of the tone, and he curses himself for not keeping a better watch on his surroundings. "Milord! It seems we've run into a Hoshidan." A cavalier barks, the trot of a horse riding it's way up Takumi's back. "And why would a Hosidan be edging so close to our territory?" Leo's sly voice taunts, urging his mount into Takumi's view. "And a royal, at that?"

"I only wish to grab a stone, and leave. I mean no trouble." Takumi glares in Leo's direction, his hand inching towards his quiver. Leo laughs solemnly, a smirk finding itself on his face. "No trouble? You should have thought of that before you trespassed, Hoshidan."

"Leo, don't scare the poor boy..." The seductive Nohrian royalty joins Leo's side, her brother glaring at her appearance.

"Camilla, I told you to stay back!" Leo sighs, putting a hand to his face. "Aw, can't I come have some fun with my little brother?" She gives a giggle, patting Leo's head lovingly. "Besides, I'm just as capable as you are, if not more." The mage swatted her hands away, earning a smirk from the Hoshidan.

"Camilla, I am not a child, and I would appreciate it if you didn't treat me as such." Leo crosses his arms, giving his sister a look of disapproval. With a roll of her eyes, the woman mimicked his actions, crossing her arms with a scoff. "You're no fun..." She trails, raising an eyebrow.

Takumi raises his voice, chuckling. "What, does the 'wittle prince need a replacement mommy?" The archer teases harshly, his smile widening. Camilla's face sours, her mouth gaping.

"Silence, worm! I will not be spoken to with such disrespect by Hoshidan filth!" Leo shouts. "Seize him, now!"

Four men charged him on command, Takumi flinging an arrow at one of them. The weapon nails him in the knee, and the man falls, a shriek of pain accompanying him. As the archer turned to take aim at the next soldier, he's met with a fiery sensation through his back, the blast of energy knocking him to the floor. Takumi winces, recognizing the sharp attack; Bryhildr.

The silver-haired boy loses grip of his bow, as two of the three men grabbed the archer, digging their nails into the pale skin of the boy.

"Unhand me! Nohrian scum!" Takumi barks, attempting to regain his arms from the grip of the soldiers. He grunts at the force of his bow being taken, his quiver getting ripped it's sling. Takumi feels a certain fear bubbling up in him, and he begins to panic. Sakura called this, Takumi doesn't want her to be right, this is not happening! Swiftly, he kicks behind him, hitting the guard square in the ribs, earning a yelp from the receiving man. "Do not let him escape, or I'll have you all cut!" Leo hollars, sending more of the knights to hold him down. The silver haired boy gives a sharp gasp as a soldier forces him down, knee in the small of his back. "G-Get off of me!" Takumi growls, trying to push himself up.

The man on top him grabs Takumi's forearms, wreching them behind his back. He earns a loud shriek, hot pain blasting through Takumi's arms and back as he face-plants into the ground. He clenches his teeth, feeling tears begin to brim in his eyes.

No, I am absolutely not going to cry, not here, not now.

He fights the pain, biting his lip as the soldiers restrain his arms. Despite his continuous struggles and curses, all the archer accomplishes is earning a boot to his face. They purposefully tighten the bonds to a point Takumi has to will himself not to whimper. "Now, now, don't hurt the boy too much." Camilla taunts, a giggle escaping her. She struts over to the struggling male, kneeling down. "We can't ruin this pretty face." She shoos the boot away, cupping his cheek, and smirking as he tries to pull away. Takumi spits at her, the failed projectile moving only a few inches. The woman takes her hand back, a gasp escaping her.

"How dare you! Camilla, move away from this worm!" Leo shouts, stepping in front of her in a protective sense. "Don't waste time on such swine." He snarls, glaring at the archer. "We shall bring him back to Xander to seal his fate." He turns around, placing his foot in the stirrup of his horse's saddle. Takumi grunts as two guardsmen yank him up from under the armpits. "Release me, scum!" He speaks sharply. "I am a prince of Hoshido! I demand you unhand me!"

Leo laughs at the archer's words. "On these grounds, you haven't the right to order around my troops." He chuckles. Takumi growls at the mage, his amber eyes glaring daggers at the boy. He again tries to rip his arms from the guards, wincing as the ropes pinch his pale skin. "On these grounds, you haven't the right to humiliate me, daft imbecile." Takumi remarks, finding his mind unable to create insults. "I didn't come here to fight!"

Leo rolls his eyes with a scoff, disregarding the truth in the statement. "Shut him up."

"Wait-- no! Bastard!" Takumi raises his voice, his skirmishes becoming more forceful as a soldier approaches him. The man pulls his handkerchief from his pocket, looking down to the archer. The height difference between the two was large, and the guard smirked as he began crumpling the cloth into a ball. "Tell these bastards to release me, I didn't do anything, scum!" Takumi bites towards the man's hands, receiving a mouthful of cotton material. "He bites!" Leo snickers. "It seems as if Hoshidan's are more so dogs than I thought." Camilla smirks at the comment, other soldiers snarking along with her. The archer grunts against the guard, pulling his head back in an attempt to free his speech.

"Nrr--Mmm--!" Takumi tries, pushing the back of the material with his tounge, just to be met with another strip of coarse tapestry being wrapped around his head. "Look at the worm struggle. I almost feel bad." Leo pokes sarcastically. He smirks, looking down to remove his foot from the stirrup. "You know, I do feel bad. Here," He steps towards the prince, a smirk on the mage's face. "Let me put you closer to your kind." The Nohrian royalty puts only inches between him and the archer, the tension between the two quickly growing.

Leo swiftly changes the pace of the exchange, reaching his leg around his captive to kick the back of his knees, sending him to the ground. The archer yelps through the mute, holding his breath as Leo smothers Takumi's face with his foot. He pushes Takumi around, coating the side of his face with dirt.

The guardsmen broke out in laughter, Camilla standing with a new grin. Leo smirked, satisfied when Takumi began coughing from the dust. "My, my, don't play with your food too much, baby brother, it'll get cold." Camilla snickers, Leo kicking the now muddied archer over in response.

Takumi glares daggers near Leo, his eyes beginning to water from the rising dirt. Leo crouches down to him, his smile widening at the sight of his helplessness. "Don't cry, little prince, I'll help you learn your place." The mage straightens himself, folding his hands behind his back. "General?" A rough looking man-the Nohrian general-approaches Leo, awaiting his command. "I want this trash loaded on the convoy wagon, and I want you to ride my horse back to the castle." He spits out commands. "I will be traveling with our guest."

The soldier gives a small salute, giving a booming; "Yes, milord."

Leo then approached Camilla, rolling his eyes at the soft noises of resistance behind him. "Big sister, I want you to fly back and tell Xander of our capture." He speaks softer at his sister, the command less threatening. "Of course, little brother, anything else you may require of me?" Camilla replies with a soft smile, willing Leo to meet her eyes. "As a matter of fact, yes, I want you to take Takumi's bow." His sister's expression falters slightly. "His weapon is not like others, and I want it in hidden, in Nohrian hands."

Camilla sighs, rubbing at her arm innocently. "I was really hoping you would give me some alone time with the prince... He's quite cute when vulnerable..." She trails, a suggestive giggle following.

"No, Camilla, he's nothing but filth. Please, do as you're told." Leo turns around, walking to tend to his horse before departing. The woman sighs with a roll of her eyes, moving to the archer's abandoned weapon. A soldier stops Leo's strut, earning a half-enthused glare from the blonde. "Er- Forgive me for interrupting, milord. We have the Hoshidan held in the wagon, we are ready to depart when you are, sir." He pauses, Leo sighing in recognition. "Very good, sir, the general has already went off as you requested, as well."

"Good. I shall board, and we'll leave immediately." Leo makes his way confidently to the wagons, helping himself on board. He smirks at his captive, sitting adjacent to him. Takumi holds the gaze he gave earlier, his eyes glaring daggers at the mage. "Oh, enough of that." Leo commanded, his tone hardening. He leans forward, smacking Takumi hard. Takumi grunts, his head drooping down as his cheek brightens from the force.

All Takumi can think of is how right Sakura was, how he should have listened, taken someone else with him.

His thoughts are interrupted by Leo harshly pulling on his ponytail, forcing Takumi's frightened gaze to Leo's fierce one. As the archer did his best to hold back a whimper, Leo snarled. "You are to look at me, wretch. I am your superior, and I demand such respect." He grabs Takumi's chin tightly, his amber eyes burning with hatred.

"I'll teach you your place, pet."


	2. Bending

Takumi growls through the cloth, anger flowing through his body more and more every second. He would never accept that he was to bend to the will of this scum. Leo rolls his eyes at the archer's agitation.

"There will be none of that!" Leo grabs Takumi's upper arm, digging his nails into the boy's pale skin. The blonde begins putting more pressure on the other's limb, earning a series of pained noises from Takumi. "The more disrespect you show to me, filth, the worse this becomes." Leo releases the archer, Takumi's gaze looking down to his arm, now numerous red marks making themselves apparent. He shifts on the bench, trying to put as much space between the two as possible. "Keep that in mind, the next time you want to be disrespectful." The mage narrows his eyes sadistically, finding amusement in the other's breathing patterns.

He's scared.

Leo chuckles, feeling the archer's self-confidence depleting. Takumi knows, if he simply is patient, he could wait for an opportunity to flee. He tries his best to keep his eyes where Leo wouldn't assume the worst, but doing so deemed harder said than done. "Now listen here, little prince." Leo grabbed the boy's chin, arching it upwards towards him. Takumi tries to pull back, Leo retaliating by gripping harder. "If you play nice, I might just consider taking that cloth off of your pretty mouth." Leo teases, raising an eyebrow. "But if I'm to do so, you will only speak to me with respect." He continued, an evil grin masking his face. "Right now, you are a simple peasant."

The mage releases Takumi's chin, and the archer pulling back. "But I won't get ahead of myself. We both know you won't cooperate quite yet." Leo rolls his eyes, his smirk widening. "But that just makes my job more fun. I--"

"Milord!" A guardsmen interrupts the prince, calling him from outside the carriage. "What? I'm a little busy." Leo barks back, dissatisfaction and anger in his tone. The knight bows apologetically, before continuing. "My apologies, but it seems as if there was a battle up ahead. The roads are blocked, would you like us to take an alternative route?" Leo scowls, annoyed as he straightens up, brushing his armour off. He glances back down to the archer briefly. "I'll come assess the situation." He looks to the guard. "Don't let this rat try anything, or I'll have you skinned alive." The mage growls, leaving the guard with a confused expression.

The bulky soldier took a stance across from the prisoner, iron sword in hand. "You best be grateful Lord Leo has taken such pity on you. You ought to be dead, filth." Takumi sat still, taking the words. "How the prince can stand to be near a Hoshidan for such an amount of time is beyond me. You're a no good, worthless little pig." The archer didn't move, his thoughts racing through his head.

"Hah. Apparently Hoshidan's are more mindless than they say." The guard rolls his eyes, sitting back in his seat.

The soldier showed no signs of taking his attention off of the archer, so he had to improvise. Quickly, Takumi stood up, a look of fake shock resting upon him. As if on cue, the knight swiftly stood, putting his blade at a ready position. "I will not hesitate to slice you down!" He bellowed, eyes widening as the silver haired boy began to fall. Eyes shut, and body limp, Takumi tumbles forward onto the man. He's instantly pushed away, a sound of disgust exceeding from the larger man as the archer hits the floor. Takumi bites his tongue as a brief pain runs throughout him, trying to keep a simple charade up.

"Get up, worm! Your little act won't fool me." The man kicks Takumi's limp body, sword pointed down at him. At the force, the archer wills himself not to react, barely holding in a series of coughs.

The guard sighs, turning around and stepping off the carriage. As his back turned, Takumi took one of the only chances he might have. He silently rose to his knees, then carefully proceeding to stand. As he loomed over the unsuspecting guard, the prince brought his foot around to kick the guard hard on the side of his head. After a small grunt, the man falls to the ground, letting Takumi gracefully leap off the end of the wagon.

But the archer's world seemed to slow as he felt a tight grip on his ponytail, yanking him backwards.

Takumi yelps into his gag, wincing as the returning prince pulls harder on his hair. "I told you to stay, and now, you've really gone and pissed me off, filth."

Leo pulls Takumi back, signaling for guards. "Tie this damn child down. Make the binds as tight as possible." He sneers, yanking his captive into the reach of the two guards. They picked up the fighting Takumi, struggling to sit him back into his seat. As they begin to tie the prince down again, Leo hops into the back. "You know what, make sure to leave his legs spread apart.." He smirks. "I'm going to have some fun with our little prince.." Takumi let out a muffled groan as the binds were tightened, his eyes clenching together in anger and pain.

As the men finish, Leo waves them out, smiling at his vulnerable toy. "Now, what I can do on this wagon may be limited." He approaches him, a smug look on his face. "But do not test me." Leo bends down so he was at Takumi's eye level. "For when we arrive at the castle, there will be no holding back."

He gives a smirk, pulling at Takumi's fur attire. Takumi forces as much room as he could in between him and the scoundrel in front of him, even if it is just inches. Leo raises his foot, placing it down on Takumi's crotch. Takumi's eyes widen, his gaze lowering a bit. The blonde began to move his foot around, playing with pressure and placement. "I'm going to make you cry, pet." 

Takumi finds himself gritting his teeth, his fists clenching with what little control he had behind him. "So powerless to my humiliation. So pitiful." Leo pushes harder, earning a delayed, muffled groan.

Leo bites his lip with a curious gaze, removing his foot. He bends down, reaching his hand to the hem of the other's pants. Takumi makes an instant sound of displeasure, the boy trying to squirm away from Leo's touch.

Leo made no obvious action to prove he saw Takumi's resistance, proceeding with a devilish smile. Leo reaches his hand into Takumi's pants, savouring the muffled protests as he did so. Running his fingers up and down the boy's shaft, Leo gripping onto Takumi's throat with his other hand. "Shh, hush now, little slut."

Takumi whimpers softly, cursing himself silently for doing so. "You best not climax until I say, pet." Leo's voice was suddenly filled with a warmer tone, one the archer hadn't heard before. Leo softly grabs Takumi's penis, taking the shaft in his hand. As he begins to stroke the prince, Takumi responds with quiet moans and cries. His eyes now welled up with tears, and his knuckles white from his fists clenching. Leo squeezes both the archer's member, and throat simultaneously, earning a sharp cry from Takumi.

Leo feels the other hardening, his breathing becoming quicker along with it. In response, Leo begins to pump faster, thumbing the tip every so often as well.

Takumi's mind was racing, with every movement the other prince made, he could feel himself starting to lose control.

Seeing the prince's change in emotion, Leo releases the archer's throat, swiftly moving his hand to Takumi's balls. He tugs on them, Takumi groaning as the pain spreads throughout his genitals. "I said not until I give you permission, didn't I?" He speaks slowly, releasing the archer's member to pull down the gag. A line of spit following the soaked cloth, Leo drops it in disgust, but quickly disregards it. "Correct?" He strengthens his grip on the archer's balls, a yelp escaping the melting boy.

"Y-Yes. Yes you said that. What's-ah-What's your p-point?" Takumi tries. "Why should I-hah-listen to you, N-Nohrian scum." Leo chuckles at this remark, slapping the boy with a quick, harsh motion. Takumi stifles a noise, grunting as Leo's stroking became a bit quicker. "Because, you belong to me."

Takumi could feel himself starting to give in, and the look on his face made it clear to Leo. "St-Stop this!" The archer stutters, his face steaming. "You-You bastard, have you-hah-have you no shame!?" Takumi calls out, his head bowing down. He couldn't stand to look at the monster. Leo cracks a grin, enjoying the sight of the royal. "Cum for me, little slut." He smirks, giving Takumi a few more strokes.

"Y-You-You disgust me." The Hoshidan tries to hold himself back, the tears beginning to brim in his eyes. He refused to succumb to the order of such filth.

As Takumi disobeyed Leo's orders, the blonde roughly grabs at the archer's balls, pulling and squeezing them until Takumi was forced to relieve himself. "I said, cum for me." Takumi tries to conceal the moan he releases, biting his tongue as he finishes. Leo smirks as he looked down on the Hoshidan. "Broken like a common horse." He taunts, wiping his hand off on the archer's pants. Takumi shudders, trying his hardest to shift away from the opposing prince.

"Oh, stop your whining. If you can't handle a little fun, you won't be lasting long at all." Leo cups the archer's cheek, Takumi replying with a sharp glare. He pulls away, putting his effort into keeping a straight face. Leo straddles him slowly, placing a hand on the archer's silver hair. He tugs on it softly, pulling Takumi's face forward so he could look in his eyes. Takumi glares daggers at the other, Leo responding with an amused look.

"At last, silence," Leo smirks, "Is that all it takes to keep you quiet?" He stands up, stretching. His eyebrow raises as Takumi mumbles something under his breath, Leo crossing his arms with irritation. "What was that, peasant? Speak up."

Takumi took a second before repeating himself. "You will pay," He kept his head down. The prince earns a breathy laugh from the blonde. "When I get out of here, you will suffer." Takumi says, his voice low.

Leo opens his mouth to respond with a smart remark, but is interrupted by a guard peeking his head into the wagon. "Milord, we're approaching the castle." He speaks quickly, regretting talking almost immediately. Leo glares at him, giving a sigh before taking a few steps towards the exit. "If you get out of here, I will be very, very surprised." Leo snarls, jumping off the edge. He steals one last glance back at Takumi, Leo's eyes full of achievement.

"Our fun shall begin soon, little prince."


	3. Courage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a filler chapter, my apologies.

All the Hoshidan prince could see was blurry figures through the scratchy sack on his head. He had been pushed every which way for the past few minutes through a maze of halls that Takumi presumed was the inside of the Nohr castle. The lighting was darker than what he's used to, the only source being from dim lanterns.

He kept quiet as he stumbled through the dark corridors, silently cursing Prince Leo who was barking orders every few moments. After a few more minutes of this, the guard having hold of him jerked him back, holding him still.

Leo's voice spoke out above anything else, the confident tone echoing throughout. "I order you to open this door." Leo said sternly. Takumi tried to assess his surroundings whilst they were idle, the only other sound he could make out being beyond the door in front of them.

"I am terribly sorry, your highness, but King Garon has demanded to be left alone, no matter who seeks him." The guard's voice quivered, obviously cautious of the prince's attitude. Leo took a few steps forward, a chuckle escaping him. "I think he may have a change of mind when you tell him I brought him a prince of Hoshido." His voice was full of smugness, his gaze complacent. The guard took a second to process what Leo had said, looking from him, to Takumi. After clearing his throat, the guard nodded his head.

"Of-Of course, milord, I will see how he wishes to handle this." He turned, staring at the door intensely before entering. Leo huffed a sigh, beginning to pace around the small enclosure. A few minutes of waiting entailed a loud, sudden noise from inside the throne room. Takumi jumped with the quick break of silence, Leo snickering in response. 

"What, is the brave prince a tad on edge?" He teased, making his way towards the boy. Takumi bit his lower lip softly, tensing as the mage crosses his arms just a few feet from him.

Before he could open his mouth, however, the large door opened once again, this time, a different guard peeking his head out. "Lord Garon is allowing you to see him, Prince Leo." He widened the opening for the group to enter, Takumi being pushed forward as the door opened. The moment he took a step forward, Takumi's anxieties worsened. He couldn't dare to show it, however.

Obscured to Takumi was the lifeless body of the guard next to the throne, Garon's axe painted with fresh blood. Leo swallowed, looking up at his father.

"Well?" Garon asked expectantly, not moving in his seat. Leo quickly looked back at the guards holding his prisoner, snapping to bring him forward. As they did so, Leo tore the bag off from Takumi's head, the Hoshidan narrowing his eyes at the quick shift of light until his gaze fell upon the king.

Garon looked at the scowling prince before speaking again. "Is this truly what you bothered me for?" Leo's smug look falters a bit as he thought of a response, looking to the ground momentarily.

"Father, this is the youngest prince of Hoshido. I captured him along the border, and wish to see if this pleases you." He said, trying his best to keep a confident stance. The man simply huffed in response.

"Fine, have him executed." Takumi tensed a little at the command, eyes narrowing at the king. Even Leo's eyes widen, shaking his head a bit. "Forgive me for speaking up father, but I do believe he's worth more alive." He bit the inside of his cheek, taking a deep breath. Garon grumbled.

"I don't wish to waste anymore of my time with this little bastard." Garon hissed. Takumi grit his teeth at the insult. "If you think that you have any chance in impressing me, boy, break him. Then, and only then will you bother me again. You will be in charge of overseeing this rat, and the trouble that comes with him." Garon bellowed, a bit of Leo's grin returning.

"Of course, father. Thank you for giving me this opportunity." Leo turned around, looking to Takumi and the two men who held him. Takumi averted his eyes, gazing at the reflective tile floor. They had done a number on him. "Take him down to a private cell, make sure he's well restrained, or I will have your head." Leo threatened, earning a nod from each of the guards. They began to exit the room, Leo smirking when the Hoshidan began to struggle again.

"Child." Garon called out, Leo turning back to meet his gaze as he was about to close the door. "Don't go around thinking you're special, boy. You haven't impressed me, and I have low expectations for when I see you next." Garon called out. The prince took a second, suprised at the words, before furrowing his eyebrows.

"I--Yes, father. Of course." He nodded, pursing his lips as he shut the throne room door. Leo looked around the halls, before clenching his hands into fists, sliding down onto the floor. The prince cursed at himself as he felt his eyes well up with tears, his face growing hot with embarrassment.

Crying made the boy feel weak, but he felt enough anguish to kill himself had the opportunity presented itself. He had no other fitting reaction. Only as footsteps cascaded down the stairwell did Leo bite his tongue, wiping his eyes in any attempt to fake wellness. Out of the corner of Leo's eyes he spotted his brother, the boy rolling his eyes at his bad luck.

"Leo? Are you alright?" The older prince made his way over, kneeling down next to Leo. "It's nothing you need to concern yourself with, I'm fine." Leo tried to hide his face, clenching his jaw. Xander sighed softly, kneeling down and giving his brother a skeptical look.

"Come now, little prince. Talk to me." Leo looked in the other direction, taking a deep breath as he tried to control his emotions. Out of everyone that could have found him, why did it have to be Xander... "I'm just--Why does father refuse to be proud of us? I brought him Hoshidan royalty! You think that would gain me some respect, yes?" He frowned, gazing at Xander when he responded with confusion.

"You what?--You brought father what?" He questioned, Leo shaking his head. "It doesn't matter." His voice was quieter now as he brought his knees to his chest. Xander didn't miss a beat as he took one of Leo's hands in his own, clenching it as the smaller one tried to pull away.

"I understand father can be difficult, Leo, but he has his reasons. I can assure you he loves us, he loves you, he just... Has difficulty showing it these days." Leo wiped his cheek with his free hand, shaking his head. He knew his father was different. He had hoped if he did something so eventful, it might spark something in him. Something to bring him back.

"Xander? Leo?" Another voice called out from the bottom of the stairwell, catching both of the brother's attentions. A short blonde peeked out from the exit innocently, a look of curiosity on her face.

"Ah, Elise." Xander gave a warm smile. He turned back to Leo, silently asking for permission. The boy nodded, wiping his eyes one last time before Xander gestured for the girl to join them.

"Is everything okay big brother?" She asks softly, kneeling down on the other side of Leo. Leo again nodded, looking at her. "Yes, sister. I'm alright." The girl pouted, a moment of silence filling the halls before she pounced on him, wrapping her small arms around her brother as she spoke. "Don't lie to me!" Leo's eyes widened, and he gasped while Xander let out a chuckle.

Elise pressed her cheek against Leo's, smothering him with all the strength she could muster. "It's easy to tell when you're upset! And I'm not leaving until you're happy again." She stated, opening her eyes and pulling away. She had squirmed her way onto Leo's lap, and had no apparent wish to get off. She stared at Leo with her arms crossed, and a stern face before Leo rolled his eyes. "Gods, you're all so persistent." He sighed, pulling on one of his sister's pigtails softly.

Her expression faltered, a small smile breaking through before she giggled. She went in for another hug, a softer one this time, and Leo, defeatedly, placed an arm around her, patting her back.

"I'm just a tad upset with myself, Elise." He said softly, meeting Xander's gaze during their embrace. "Well that's silly!" Elise pulled back. "You're one of the two best brother's in the world!" She beamed. This made Leo smile a little. "You only have two, sister." He shook his head, making her laugh again.

"We are here for you, little prince." Xander places a hand on his shoulder firmly. Leo takes a second before nodding, muttering a soft 'thank you'.

Elise grabs one of Leo's hands, then reaching to one of Xander's. "Let's go find Camilla! We can all go on a walk together!" Xander squeezed her hand. "It had indeed been a while, hm?" He inquired, earning a nod from his sister. They both look at Leo, smiling happily.

"Indeed." He nods. "I could use some fresh air."


End file.
